The #Metoo storm is hitting the media fraternity hard. Today another well known name has been called out under the campaign.

Vinod Dua, the veteran journalist who is known as the defining face of the state-run news channel Doordarshan has been accused of sexual harassment by a filmmaker named Nishtha Jain. The woman has described her ordeal on a social media platform and claimed that he had sexually harassed her in June 1989.

Nishtha Jain took to Facebook and wrote,

“It was June 1989. I still remember the day because it was my birthday. There was extended family at home and mom was preparing for a little celebration in the evening. I was a recent graduate from Jamia Mass Communication Centre. I put on my favourite saree and left home with a fair amount of confidence for a job interview with a famous TV personality who had had a very popular show called Janvani. He was starting a new gig. It was supposed to be a political satire and I was interested. I was greeted with his typical sardonic smile. Before I could settle down he began telling a lewd sexual joke in that soft voice, barely opening his mouth. I don’t remember the joke but it wasn’t worth a laugh, just dirty. I felt hot in my face and I sat there most probably with an angry look. He explained the job and asked me what my expectations were and I quoted an amount that most graduates were getting at the time – 5,000 rupees. He looked at me and said, ‘Tumhari aukat kya hai?’ I dont know what had hit me. I was stunned. What was this about? I had faced sexual harassment early in life but this sort of humiliation was a new experience. By the time I reached home I was in tears. My birthday was ruined. I did tell my brother and friends about it. Soon after, I got a job as a video editor in Newstrack. I don’t know how this man learnt about it. He had friends in my office who would inform him when I would be working late. One night as I came down to the parking, he was there. He said, he wanted to talk to me and asked me to enter his car – a black SUV/Jeep, I don’t remember the make as I’m not into automobiles. Assuming that he wanted to apologise for his behaviour, I entered the car but before I could even settle down he began slobbering all over my face. I managed to get out and get into my office car and leave. I spotted him again in the parking in the coming nights and would go right back and wait till someone was ready to leave along with me in the office car. After a few days he stopped stalking me. The man was Vinod Dua. When I read about his outrage against Akshay Kumar’s sexist words to his daughter Malika Dua, I said to myself he’s obviously forgotten that he was no less sexist, no less misogynist, no less creepy a sexual harasser, potential rapist. If he did to me, I’m sure he would have done it to other women. Today, he does programmes explaining the world what constitutes sexual harassment. He should stop everything and look into his own shady past. I saw him on a thread which was expressing outrage the false accusations against Varun Grover. I could see what his mind was cooking up when stories against him spill out. I won’t be surprised if he denies. He’s always been an opportunist. Sorry, Malika Dua, your father is also one who belongs to the hall of shame. #MeToo.”

Nishtha Jain – Vinod Dua

Notably, Dua had been known as a strong critique of accused men’s behaviour and projects his image as an active supporter of women rights.

However, Jain has called him “No less sexist, a sexual harasser, a potential rapist”.

#Metoo movement hits Vinod Dua:"He is no less sexist, a sexual harasser, a potential rapist", says survivorBelow mentioned words r his own when there was a controversy between her daughter n Akshay Kumar.I wonder what this Biggot will say now n wht her daughter thinks abt him pic.twitter.com/JEMWFTdal2

Last year Bollywood Actor Akshay Kumar had made a highly offensive comment on Dua’s daughter on Star One’s The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. Kumar told Mallika Dua,

“Mallika Ji aap bell bajao, mai aapko bajata hoon”.

The offensive and sexist comment didn’t rub off well on Mallika or her father. Dua was outraged by the comment and wrote on Facebook,

“I am going to screw this cretin Akshay Kumar for telling his co-worker Mallika Dua that ‘Aap bell bajao, main aap ko bajata hun’ at 5:26. This is his sense of humour and language… Star Plus… Wake up.”

While the post got pulled down over failing to adhere to the website’s ‘Commnutiny guidelines’, Mallika wrote an open letter on how the issue wasn’t about Akshay but about workplace etiquette.

Nishtha Jain who has accused Vinod Dua, has put out another post on her Facebook account thanking everyone for supporting and believing her.

“Thank you once again for supporting me, believing me. You did this last year and now again. When I wanted to out Vinod Dua last year before MeToo began I was advised by a friend that two would be too many. Too many for whom, I thought but desisted. Obviously, not for women who have to deal with creeps and potential rapists several times in a day. Too much for men, maybe? Because with each day the circle of men who are not predators becomes smaller and smaller.”

The campaign is throwing up new and ‘respected’ names daily. While largely the women who are being vocal about their experiences have got support from society, few echoes from some people are questioning the authenticity and truth behind the verbal allegations that are floating daily.